A turn of events
by YlvaBorealis
Summary: Sheldon and Amy reach an impasse, leading to an emotional weekend where everything can happen. Will they see eye to eye or is this the end of Pasadena's favorite power couple? Shamy.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a short story in 4 parts that I will publish over the course of this week. The events of the story take place roughly one month after Sheldon returns from his train trip but that's as specific as I'm going to be (my regular readers know the drill). This story deals with some heavy emotions, and some of you might feel there are some very quick turns, but as this story is already finished you can all rest assured that you will find out how this ends. As always: thank you for reading and long live the Shamy!**

 **\- YlvaB**

* * *

A turn of events

By YlvaBorealis

In four days Amy Farrah Fowler would be turning thirty-five.

She had actually forgotten about it: things had been busy at work lately and she had never been much for birthdays anyway, and her boyfriend Sheldon Cooper wasn't terribly fond of celebrations and only bought her gifts out of obligation, so there it was.

She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear to keep it out of her eyes as she picked up a dirty plate from the sink to wash it. Behind her she could hear Sheldon bustling about, most likely putting the left-overs from dinner into containers for them to bring for lunch to work tomorrow. That was their date night routine: whoever hosted dinner provided the other with a lunch box for the following work day, which had resulted in Sheldon having all of Amy's pink containers at his place and Amy having Sheldon's transparent ones at her apartment. The exchange had taken place over the course of several months, which could possibly account for the lack of complaint on Sheldon's part: he resented change, fought it off with blood and teeth and high-pitched screams, and to his obsessive compulsive mind something as trivial as a plastic container that didn't fit with the rest of his utensils was as painful as a massive migraine. But this routine he had accepted, come to embrace even, perhaps not consciously but definitely voluntarily, and this had brought Amy hope that he would one day accept other changes.

She put away the last of the dishes and washed her hands, drying them with a towel that she should probably have changed for a fresh one several days ago. Sheldon would scold her if he knew that she lied about doing the laundry every Saturday. She sighed at this thought as she turned around, watching her boyfriend who had just finished putting away the left-overs and was now occupied with his smartphone. He hadn't changed much during the five years they had been together: he had possibly gained a pound or two, and his skin was not quite as smooth as it had been that day they had first met at that coffee shop, but other than that he looked the same. Tall, thin, neatly cropped dark hair, khaki pants, and double-layered t-shirts. He let her touch him now: something that would have been unthinkable in the beginning of their relationship. Slowly he had let her into his personal space, allowed her to gently peel off that protective layer he used to shield himself off from the rest of the world.

She leaned back against the counter as she kept looking at him, rubbing her belly, wishing that fluttering she felt wasn't the result of worry and sleepless nights. The sudden realization that next Monday was her birthday just made her stomach ache even worse, and she swallowed hard as she tried not to hyperventilate. Sheldon seemed completely engulfed by whatever he was doing, his fingers moving rapidly over the touchscreen. Amy closed her eyes for a second, debating whether she should make some tea, or invite him over to the couch to watch the news before he got on the bus home to the apartment he shared with his roommate Leonard. Slowly she opened her eyes again, revealing forest-green irises behind dark-rimmed glasses, and let out a deep sigh. Balling her fists she made her way over to the dinner table, taking a seat oppose her boyfriend whose eyes never left the screen. He was a theoretical physicist, she was a neurobiologist. They were rational, intelligent adults. They both had doctorates for crying out loud, surely they must be able to figure this out together. 'It will all be okay' Amy told herself as she licked her trembling bottom lip and clasped her hands in her lap. 'We will work it out.'

"Sheldon" she croaked, clearing her throat to try to get his attention.

"Hmm?" Sheldon replied, his thumb still moving over the touch screen on his phone.

"Sheldon… could you please put that away? I need to talk to you" Amy tried again, the knot at the pit of her stomach tightening as the lanky physicist failed to meet her request.

"It's alright Amy, I excel at multi-tasking. This brain can handle browsing e-bay for rare comic books and say 'yes', 'no', and 'interesting' to whatever sound is coming out of your mouth at the same time" Sheldon assured her, oblivious of his girlfriend's growing discomfort.

Amy nodded in defeat, a lump forming in her throat as she once again closed her eyes, and she dug her nails into her thighs as she tried to calm down her breathing. It would be okay. It had to be okay.

"Ithinkweshouldbreakup" she let out in rapid succession, her green eyes still tightly closed as if looking at him would render her unable to utter these fatal words.

He looked up then, his thumb frozen mid-movement and his blue eyes wide with surprise and disbelief.

"What?" he said, his mouth slightly agape.

Amy pried her eyes open, forcing herself to look at him. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest and she had to muster up every bit of will-power she had to keep her body from trembling.

"I think we should break up" she repeated, her voice thin and laced with sorrow. She couldn't believe she had said it. It had been a fleeting thought for so long, a silent question that she'd asked herself only in the darkest of hours, a consideration that had never treaded serious grounds. And now it had suddenly been uttered out loud.

Sheldon kept staring at her, as if he hadn't understood what she had just said. His hand still clasped his phone as were it a lifeline, and his lips moved as if he were trying to formulate a sentence. But no sound came out and his blue eyes were still blank. She realized then that the thought of what she had just said had never crossed his mind.

"Why?" he asked at last, the expression on his face still that of someone who was completely lost, and in that moment Amy's heart shattered into a million pieces. She had asked herself the same question so many times this summer, rubbed her belly in a thousand figure eights to try to relieve the ache that boiled in there, threatening to spill over.

She sighed, and put her elbows on the table, burying her face in the palms of her hands for a few seconds. Her glasses dug into her eye sockets but she didn't care. They could dig into her brain and it still wouldn't matter.

"Next week I'll be thirty-five years old" she let out at last as she once again looked up at him, as if these words could explain why she had decided to do this to him. To them.

"I-I don't understand. What does your advancing age have to do with your desire to remain in this relationship or not?" Sheldon stammered, his plump bottom lip quivering as he slowly put his phone down on the table. Amy massaged her temple, desperately trying to ignore the tears that were burning behind her eyelids.

"Everything. And nothing" she mumbled, realizing she didn't make sense. She had expected him to quote the Relationship Agreement, argue with her, act rationally. She had been prepared for that. This man however, this man who looked as if he were to burst out into tears any second now… this she didn't know how to handle. This she had not expected.

"I was so sad when you left this summer" she continued, trying to keep her voice steady as she finally opened up about his sudden departure earlier that year, and the pain it had caused her. "You didn't even say goodbye. I thought… I thought maybe it was for the better. You would have time to think and calm down, and we could talk when you got back and things would change. And then… Nothing. You weren't even glad to see me."

"Amy I…" Sheldon begun, but Amy couldn't stop now. If she let him talk now she wouldn't be able to go through with this.

"No Sheldon, please just listen for once. We've been together almost five years. Next week is my thirty-fifth birthday. And the last time I mentioned us living together you ran away for forty-five days and now it's been over a month and we haven't even talked about why you left. I just… It's so difficult Sheldon. I feel like time is running away from me, from… from us. You don't want to live with me. You don't even want to discuss the _possibility_ of living with me. You don't want to sleep with me. And I'm getting older and I don't even know if you want us to have a family. It's just stressing me out" Amy explained, the last sentence coming out more like a strained sob.

"I touch myself thinking of you and it feels so good and afterwards I'm sad because you're not there with me" she continued, and Sheldon gasped then, unable to hide his shock at her honesty.

"I want you. I want to share your bed, your home, your life… I want to carry your children and be more than your companion and confidant. We… we obviously want different things out of this relationship, and I just feel it's not fair to keep pretending that we don't" Amy finished weakly, still doubting that this was the right thing to do. But she knew that whatever the 'right thing' was, it wasn't to remain in a relationship with a man who would never see her as more than a good friend, no matter what that Relationship Agreement said.

The air was strangely thick, and the conservatively dressed, bespectacled neurobiologist was acutely aware of all the little noises around her that usually went unnoticed. The sound of Sheldon breathing. The ticking of the clock on the wall behind her. The humming of the fan over the stove. An infant crying several doors down, and its parents arguing over whose turn it was to comfort it. Life went on around them but in her apartment time seemed to be standing still.

"I left my iPad at home" Sheldon said at last, finally diverting his gaze from hers. His hand shot out to grab the phone, and he rose from his seat, leaving her with her pain and befuddlement as he made his way to the front door.

"Is that it? That's all you have to say?" Amy asked bewilderedly, having forgotten about his attempt to speak earlier. She scrunched her eyebrows, suddenly angry that he didn't protest or offer her counter-arguments or beg her not to leave him.

Sheldon, who had just picked up his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder, turned to look at her.

"What else is left for me to say? You have informed me of your desire to terminate the relationship, and since I don't have my iPad with me we can't sort out the paper work yet, thus rendering this entire discussion moot. While the Relationship Agreement clearly states that the party wishing to break up must leave the other party a written notification 72 hours in advance, I will accept this conversation as a substitute. I'll stop by your office on Monday and we'll fill out the necessary forms" he staccato-ed, looking down at his feet.

"You're unbelievable" Amy growled, feeling more and more sure that she wanted him out of her life.

Sheldon snapped to attention at this, cocking his head slightly as he met her stare, his facial expression still blank.

"I know" he replied, opening the door and stepping out into the corridor, softly shutting it behind him as was his habit.

Amy, who was still sitting by the table, stared angrily at the door as if she was trying to set it on fire.

"That's right you jerk, walk away and never come back. I should never have agreed to go out with you in the first place" she spat out, as if he could hear her. She drew three quick breaths, and then collapsed in a heap over the table, finally releasing that cascade of tears she'd been holding in the entire evening. She howled into the crook of her elbow, howled as if she'd been stabbed right in the heart, howled as if nothing in this world would ever be good and right again.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much for your lovely reviews, it's so nice to hear your thoughts and your kind words. I will be going away for a few days, which is why I haven't had the time to answer your comments and pm's yet. I will as soon as I get back, and I will bring my computer so I can post the rest of the chapters =) Shamy ftw!**

 **\- YlvaB**

* * *

It was strange how nobody had forced their thoughts and advice on him. Sheldon had expected Amy to call Penny to form a female alliance against him and have her stomp her Nebraskan man feet over to his apartment to tell him to… to something that men were apparently expected to do in these situations.

But Penny did no such thing and Sheldon couldn't help but wonder why. He hadn't looked himself in the mirror ever since he came home from that disastrous dinner, but if he had he would have been mortified at the sight. There was no way for him to know that Penny _had_ indeed intended to give him a piece of her mind but had been so shocked at how terrible he looked that she couldn't bring herself to yell at him. Instead she had just softly patted his cheek and gone back to her apartment, and Sheldon hadn't heard from her since. Everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells around him: Leonard was uncharacteristically quiet, Penny and Bernadette had withdrawn to the former's untidy lair to indulge in pinot noir and girly tittle-tattle, and his other friends Howard and Raj cracked jokes he didn't understand or care for only to return to that realm whose sole inhabitants were the two of them and to which no one else had access.

He hadn't communicated with Amy for three days, which was probably for the better. If she had called he wouldn't have known what to say. What was there to say? She had left him. She had called him out on all sorts of short-comings: his refusal to engage in coitus with her. His refusal to share living quarters with her. His refusal to discuss the possibility of them procreating and joining in matrimony. She was asking an awful lot this woman! Wasn't he the one who had spent two days carefully drawing up an extensive Relationship Agreement as proof of their union? Wasn't he the one who had dropped his principles about hygiene and cleanliness and allowed her to press her lips against his on a regular basis as proof of their mutual care for one another? He bought her gifts and held her hand and comforted her when she was sad and listened to her silly complaints about that pretty girl at work who flirted with all the male scientists, and he had even agreed to never hold her pre-menstrual outbursts against her.

He picked at his salad, regarding the cubes of cheese and the cherry tomatoes unenthusiastically, unaware that he was being watched. As he kept picking he accidentally pushed the chicken over to the wrong side of the plate, causing it to touch the cucumber. Great. Now he wouldn't be able to eat it and since he never snacked after 8 p.m. he would go to bed hungry. Again. Sighing out loud he put the plate down on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch, rubbing his temple and staring at the flickering images on the TV. Star Trek. Yay.

His roommate adjusted his glasses, having finished his own meal half an hour ago. Leonard had never seen Sheldon in this state before: it had been bad on previous occasions, yes, but while the episode with the twenty-five cats had been somewhat disturbing, this was something he knew couldn't be resolved just by calling Sheldon's mother and have her set him straight. He raked his hand through his dark curls, trying to come up with something to say. He had never imagined that Sheldon being quiet for three days would stress him out like this but truth was he worried about his friend and felt bad for him.

He coughed, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Hey…. Buddy" he tried, hoping this would get the other man's attention. Sheldon remained static though, his blue eyes glazed over as he ignored his roommate. Leonard swallowed, searching his mind for something to say. This wouldn't do: tomorrow they had to be back at work and Sheldon looked like someone had run him over with a pick-up truck.

"Sheldon… you need to eat" Leonard continued, throwing a worried glance at the abandoned plate on the coffee table. He studied his friend and his rugged appearance, so unlike his usual tidy self. Howard and Raj had tried to cheer him up earlier with a game of Monopoly, but had eventually given up and gone back to their respective apartments. And now Leonard was alone with the tall, lanky man-child who looked as if someone had just told him his puppy had died.

"I can't eat. The chicken is touching the lettuce" Sheldon replied thinly.

"I could make you a grilled cheese sandwich?" Leonard offered, hoping this would pique his friend's interest.

"I don't want a grilled cheese sandwich, I want salad."

"Then eat your salad?"

"I told you I can't. The vegetables cannot touch the meat. Besides, it's after 8 p.m. and I never eat after 8. One should never eat within an hour of bedtime" Sheldon informed him, as so many times before, and Leonard sighed deeply. He would offer his friend advice but truth was he wasn't exactly an expert on women himself, and the relationship between Sheldon and Amy was… unique. To put it mildly. He had never really been sure just what it was Sheldon got out of his union with the quirky petite neurobiologist, and he _really_ didn't understand just what Amy saw in him. He wasn't even sure Sheldon _liked_ girls, not in a romantic way at least. But he knew that whatever he shared with Amy it was strong and deep, and her leaving him had transformed the formerly so pompous and stoic genius into an unwashed, unshaved mess who had to be dragged out of bed in the mornings.

"Then what can you do Sheldon? Sooner or later you will need to talk to Amy, if only to sign that stupid contract. You need to take a shower. And _shave_ for goodness sake" Leonard let out desperately, feeling sure he would go insane if Sheldon remained like this much longer. As much as the man drove him crazy with his endless rants and lectures, his silence was even more unsettling.

"You seem to be under the impression that I'm being driven mad by Amy's decision to terminate our relationship. I assure you I am perfectly fine" Sheldon retorted, turning to look at the shorter man who stared back in disbelief.

"Really?" Leonard snorted, gesturing with his hand at Sheldon's pajama bottoms and Batman t-shirt which he had worn ever since he came home from work on Friday afternoon. "It's Sunday and you haven't had a proper meal since you had dinner at Amy's. You _smell_."

"Other people deviate from their hygienic routines during the weekends and I don't see you over at _their_ place telling them to wash and shave."

"Other people aren't obsessive compulsive germophobes with clothing rotations and bathroom schedules."

"It's a free country Leonard. Who am I, or you, to dictate how others should lead their lives?" Sheldon lectured, pointing an accusing finger at him. Leonard felt the anger bubble up within him, and he desperately tried to calm down. Sheldon was sad, he reminded himself. There was no point in telling him what a stubborn jerk he was: he would clam up and Leonard would just be frustrated, and to be honest Sheldon had put up with him numerous times when he had been sad over Penny so it was only right that he returned the favor.

"Look, Sheldon..." he begun, trying to reach out to the other man, "I know you're upset. I'm really sorry things didn't work out between you and Amy. But don't you think you're giving up a little too easily? It's not like you to just… accept things if you believe them to be wrong. Shouldn't you try to call her and discuss this? Maybe get some answers?" he continued, shooting off what he hoped was a comforting smile in Sheldon's direction.

Something rippled over the lanky physicist's face at this, some kind of expression he had never seen before, and for some reason it made Leonard feel all cold inside.

"What should I tell her Leonard? She made it perfectly clear that she doesn't wish to remain in a relationship with me anymore. What reason is there for me to try to change her mind when she so clearly doesn't want me to?" Sheldon asked, raising one of his dark curved eyebrows in question.

"Because you… you…?" Leonard stammered, not quite sure what to say.

"Because I what?" Sheldon challenged, daring him to speak his mind.

"Because you love her" Leonard stated boldly, not quite believing he was sitting in his living room uttering those words to Sheldon Cooper of all people. Sheldon's eyes widened in surprise at this, and he opened his mouth to protest, but closed it again as he couldn't bring himself to deny it. He pursed his lips angrily, shooting up from the couch and pushing past the armchair where Leonard was sitting, loudly stomping his way down the corridor.

"Where are you going?" Leonard called out after him, his voice cracking at the last syllable. Sheldon stopped dead in his tracks, turning around to look at his baffled roommate.

"Since it has been pointed out to me that I _smell_ , I'm going to take a shower! I hope you're happy now!" he shouted, barely stopping himself from stomping his foot for emphasis like a three year old.

"Very! Brush your teeth while you're at it!" Leonard called back angrily, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine!" Sheldon snapped.

"Fine!" Leonard hissed, turning around to let the other man know he was ignoring him from now on. Sheldon turned on his heel, covering the last few feet of the hallway and tearing up the bathroom door, slamming it behind him loudly.

"Stupid, stupid, _stupid_ Leonard" he muttered under his breath as he yanked off his t-shirt and threw it in the hamper. "Silly woman" he continued as he pulled off his pajama bottoms and briefs, discarding them much like he had his t-shirt. He recoiled at the sight of himself in the mirror as he made his way to the bathtub, looking away as not to face the horrible truth. He had never looked so bad before, not even that time when he had caught pneumonia and had to spend a month in bed. How was it possible? It had only been three days.

He swung one of his long legs over the edge of the bathtub, shrieking as he turned the faucets and a cold spray of water hit his face and stomach. He held out his hand to check the temperature, easing under the spray when it finally turned warm enough: normally he would have used a thermometer to ensure the temperature was just to his liking but right now he didn't care. He had been unwilling to admit that Leonard was right but he _did_ smell and the thought of all the germs parading over his body was starting to take its toll on him. The somewhat battered physicist reached for his shower gel, squirting out a healthy amount into the palm of his hand, and sighed with relief as the pleasant scent reached his nostrils. Oh, this felt so right. The lather slid over his skin, cleansing him, and he moved his hands in long languid strokes over his arms and legs. He quite enjoyed this sensual experience, something he had been careful not to mention to Amy. He didn't want to give her any ideas. Not that it mattered now that she had left him.

He groaned out loud at this thought, the events of that night coming back to him with full force. He had feared that she would one day give up on him, but he had never believed that she would actually do it. They were so much alike, so close, even to the point of finishing each other's sentences. He had recently come to realize that what he felt for her could only be described with one word, and he had been surprised to find that he was completely comfortable with this conclusion. But Leonard saying it out loud had hurt so badly, knowing that she didn't feel the same. She was sick of him, done with him. And as much as he hated to admit it he couldn't really blame her.

Sheldon leaned back against the cold tiles, closing his eyes for a second. He cupped himself between his legs, briefly debating whether he should pleasure himself or not. Maybe the endorphins would make him feel better, help him sleep, ease the pain. He felt slightly pathetic, standing there naked holding his genitals. He let go then, once again groaning out load. Stupid, stupid Amy!

"This won't do" he mumbled as he turned off the faucets and stepped out of the bathtub. "This just won't do."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: The third installment in this 4-day tale. I thank you all again for your wonderful reviews, and I hope you're all excited for part 4 tomorrow!**

 **\- YlvaB**

* * *

It had been a rough couple of days for the petite neurobiologist. The morning after hers and Sheldon's last date night she woke up feeling physically ill, and had to call in sick to work. She had told Penny what had happened over the phone, asking her in between sobs not to interrogate Sheldon should she meet him. She couldn't know for sure but she hoped her blonde best friend had respected her request.

Eating was difficult. Sleeping was difficult. Over and over she played back the events of last Thursday in her head, wondering if maybe she had been a little too quick to cut Sheldon out of her life. The decision to terminate the relationship was something she had thought of all summer while he had been gone. His departure had scared her, and forced her to re-evaluate what she wanted out of the relationship. His return had caused her even more stress, as she was now terrified that he would run away again should she dare discuss any eventual progress in their relationship. She had come to the conclusion that he might just not want the same things she wanted. Possibly not ever.

But now, three days later, after having showered and changed into her pajamas and tucked herself in on the couch to watch TV and hopefully fall asleep… She had begun rethinking her decision.

Amy burrowed her face into the pillow, pulling the afghan up to the chin. Penny had asked her several times if she and Bernadette should come over with wine and chocolate but she had turned them down, afraid she would break down should she voice her fears out loud. Had she thrown away her one chance at happiness? Was Sheldon glad to finally be back on his own without a girlfriend who constantly put pressure on him to change? Was he sad? Had she made the wrong decision?

"Oooh" Amy whimpered, once again sobbing into the pillow, feeling hot salty tears running down her cheeks. That thick-headed, compulsive, pompous, childish _dork._ Him and his blue eyes and stupid habits. Like that ridiculous knocking thing he did…. One, two, three, "name", one, two three-

 _Knock, knock, knock_ "Amy!"

 _Knock, knock, knock_ "Amy!"

 _Knock, knock, knock_ "Amy!" a familiar voice called out, jerking her out of her internal bashing of the very person she knew was standing outside her door. She shot up from the couch, wiping her eyes and nose with the back of her hand as she made her way to the front door. What on Earth…? What were the odds of _that_ happening just as she was thinking about that particular compulsion of his?

Amy lingered for a while in the hallway, contemplating whether to tell him through the door to go home and sleep, it was way past his bedtime anyway and she didn't have anything to say to him. Plus she was a mess and she didn't want him to see her all puffy-eyed and pajama-clad, with her still damp hair tied back in a bun. She didn't want him to think that she was going crazy over this break-up. But it had been several days since she'd talked to him and she missed him.

Before she could stop herself Amy had opened the door, finding herself standing face to face with Sheldon Cooper. She gasped at the sight of him, realizing his worn appearance mimicked that of her own, and for a split second she felt a stab in her heart at the thought of her being the cause of his pain. But then she remembered he had been the one to drive her to make this decision in the first place, and just like that she found herself feeling just as angry as she had on date night when he had merely shrugged at her and left her to her tears.

"What are you doing here?" Amy growled, not about to ask him to come in.

Sheldon didn't reply. He looked down at his feet, asking himself the same question. He hadn't even grabbed his bag or his windbreaker: he had just showered, dressed, and got on the bus, not knowing what he was going to say once he arrived at her doorstep. But the sight of her looking at him like that, the sudden flash of memories from this Thursday, the _anger_ he had felt over her interrupting him instead of letting him explain how he felt about this entire deal… It all came up to the surface now, bursting out of him before he had the chance to stop it.

"You" he hissed, pushing himself past her and into the hallway, "You are the most stubborn, irritating woman I have ever met!"

Amy stared at him, closing the door before turning to the lanky man who was pacing back and forth, working up steam. "I…" she began, but much as she had interrupted him this Thursday, he cut her off, determined to give her a piece of his mind.

"You just…just… _decide_ what I want without asking me! You always do! You tell me to touch you and meet your relatives and go to dinner with your _mother_ and force me to celebrate Christmas even though I hate it, and then you tell me it's not enough and you throw me out?" Sheldon spat out, still pacing back and forth as he began breathing heavily, not taking notice of Amy whose mouth was hanging open as he kept yelling at her. He had never raised his voice at her, not ever.

"Sheldon, the neighbors…" she pleaded with him, but he wouldn't have any of it.

"I didn't have any say in it! Not a written notification, not even a chance to argue for my case, nothing! You have _agreed_ to this! You signed a contract! I thought you felt the _same_ " Sheldon continued, clutching his hand over his heart as he began hyperventilating. "Paper bag" he gasped and Amy, who had been frozen in her spot watching his uncharacteristic outburst much as she would a traffic accident, somehow got her feet working and moving towards the kitchen. "I got it, I got it" she assured him, hearing his wheezy breaths behind her as she rummaged through the drawers trying to find a paper bag.

"Here, long steady breaths" she instructed him as she handed it over, unconsciously stroking his arms as she helped him through the panic attack.

"I'm sorry" Sheldon let out, his voice muffled as he breathed through the bag.

"I'm sorry too" Amy husked, wrapping her arms around his hips and leaning into his chest as he slowly let down the paper bag, looking down at her dark hair and small frame. He dropped it on the floor as he too let his arms find their way around her body, pulling her close to him.

"I'm still angry with you" he mumbled into her hair, pulling in the scent of her shampoo.

"I'm still angry with _you_ " Amy retorted, pulling away slightly to look up at him. They were still embracing one another, both their eyes shooting daggers as tension rose in the air once more. The room was dark, sans the TV that was on in the background.

"You left me all alone, all summer" Amy continued, feeling the hurt build up in her chest again, "and you've acted as if nothing happened."

"You keep pushing me even though I always do what you want" Sheldon shot back, digging his fingers into her hips.

"What are you talking about, you don't even want to _discuss_ what I want!" Amy protested, raising her voice this time.

" _You_ have never bothered to ask what _I_ want" Sheldon countered desperately, feeling his breathing grow ragged once more, his heart pounding and his blood pressure rising.

"Well what _do_ you want then!?" Amy rumbled, a pang of excitement hitting her in the midst of what was turning out to be their third fight in as many days.

"I want… I want…" Sheldon panted, finding himself on the verge of another panic attack as he realized they were still embracing, and his pelvis pressed into hers, and dear lord that blood pressure of his. No. No, no, no, no, no, not now, not in this moment, why did this happen now? He had to break away from her before she felt it, he wouldn't survive the humiliation…

Amy let out a soft gasp and he closed his eyes, not believing his body had failed him right in this moment.

"It happens sometimes if…if I'm nervous or angry…or scared" Sheldon mumbled apologetically, licking his bottom lip as he hoped she wouldn't laugh at him or scold him.

"Don't be scared" she mumbled back, her chest heaving as she reveled in the feeling of him pressing into her belly, "it happens to me too. You just have to get closer to feel it."

Once again it seemed as if time had come to a halt. The blue light from the TV in the background was eerily alien, frightening and comforting at the same time, Amy's eyes were dark and glazed over, and Sheldon was still holding on to her hips as if he were afraid he'd be swept away should he let go. Then suddenly they were kissing and he wasn't afraid anymore, but he was still angry, and she was still hurt, but maybe there was a way for them to numb that pain. There was no need to talk, no need to apologize, no need to discuss what lay beneath.

Her tongue was probing, tasting, and he responded, trying not to recoil at the unfamiliar sensation. They stumbled into what had to be her bedroom, desperately holding on to one another, silently agreeing not to say a word or the spell would be broken, and Sheldon's arms found strength from somewhere deep within and just like that he had lifted her up and thrown his companion down on the bed, climbing on top of her to seek out her lips once more, ignoring that voice at the back of his head that cried out to him that this fight had gotten out of hand.

They could still hear the muffled mumbling from the TV in the background but that was in the real world and this was a fantasy, this was a place where one mended ones wounds, where one didn't speak, and there was nothing but pleasure and desperation.

She clung to him, fumbled with her pajama bottoms as he clumsily tried to un-zip his khaki pants, their heavy breathing strangely awkward and real, but it had to be ignored, pushed down, forgotten, or else there was only chaos.

"I want you inside me" Amy moaned as he positioned himself between her legs, and Sheldon gasped as time suddenly began running again. "Oh God" he whimpered as his bubble burst, rolling off of her and covering his face with his hands, the sound of Amy's heavy breathing piercing his ears like white-hot knives.

Amy was still lying on her back panting next to him, his tortured groans sending her straight back to reality. She gingerly got up on her elbows, looking down to see her pajama bottoms pulled halfway down her thighs, and she shuddered with embarrassment as she pulled them back up. Sheldon was still hiding his face in the palms of his hands, refusing to look at her.

She groaned internally, not quite believing this had just happened. Why on Earth had she said that? Why did she have to speak? She should have let him have his way with her, they should have just done it and have it be over with, but she just had to talk. And such a stupid, cliché thing to say too.

She swallowed deeply, trying to gather her composure. Who was she trying to fool? This was not how it was supposed to happen, nothing about this was right. Deep inside she knew that had they gone through with the act, the damage would have been irreparable.

"Sheldon" she tried, forcing herself to deal with this, "Sheldon, please talk to me. Please don't hide from me."

"I can't" the lanky man let out from underneath his hands, shaking his head and making strange whimpering noises.

"Why?" Amy asked softly, turning to lie on her side, propping herself up on one elbow. She wanted to reach out and touch him but she feared she would scare him off.

"Because I'm crying and I don't want you to see me like this" Sheldon sobbed, his voice thin and fragile like a child's, and for what seemed like the millionth time that weekend Amy's heart broke in half.

"I've seen you cry lots of times Sheldon" she gently reminded him. "It's not a big deal."

"Yes it is."

"Why?"

"Because I'm embarrassed."

She sighed heavily, unable to deny that she too felt like she'd rather have the ground swallow her up than discuss what had just taken place, but she couldn't have Sheldon lying on her bed whimpering like a wounded animal for the rest of eternity.

"Hey" she whispered, closing her hand over his, softly pulling them down to reveal his tear-stained features. His blue eyes were red and swollen, tiny droplets dangling from his long black eyelashes. "There you are" she mumbled, smiling ever so slightly as she ran her index finger over his cheekbone to wipe away his tears.

"Of course I'm here. Where else would I be?" Sheldon sniffled, arching his eyebrows in confusion.

"Not here with me" Amy replied so quietly he could barely make out the words. She turned to lie on her back, suddenly remembering how they had ended up here in the first place. The problem wouldn't just go away on its own. She sighed once again, feeling washed out and worn, but he was here now and fact remained that she had broken up with him.

"Look, Sheldon…" she began, trying to figure out the best way to explain this to him so he would understand, "I know I didn't really… listen to what you had to say or discuss this with you, and I'm really sorry. I am. I was wrong to interrupt you earlier and you have every right to be angry. But I meant what I said this Thursday and I'm not going to take it back" she continued, turning to look at the dark-haired man beside her. He didn't return her gaze and she wondered if he had chosen to ignore her or just zoned out. Just as she was about to ask him if he'd heard her he turned to her, his eyes still shiny from crying.

"You're afraid I'm never going to give you what you want" he said, more like a statement than a question.

"I'm afraid that if you do give it to me it's not going to be what _you_ want" Amy whispered, finally voicing that fear she'd kept inside her for so long.

He kept staring at her, darting out his tongue to lick his bottom lip, as he always did when he was nervous or struggling to express his feelings.

"I do love you Amy but I would never agree to anything I don't want. I admit I have deviated from my principles for your sake before in terms of where to consume dinner or the amount of time I can tolerate listening to your weekly recounts of what Angelina the Office Skank is wearing to work, but I assure you: should I ever 'give it' to you, it would be of my own volition" Sheldon answered truthfully, his voice low but steady.

"You've never told me you love me before" Amy exhaled, feeling her heart swell.

"I kiss you even when you haven't brushed your teeth. I thought it was obvious?" Sheldon replied, looking down at the petite brunette who had crawled up against him, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Nothing is ever obvious with you Sheldon Cooper" Amy yawned, her eye-lids beginning to feel heavy.

"I suppose you're right Amy Farrah Fowler. I am quite exceptional" Sheldon nodded, feeling himself drift off.

There were still many things left to say but it had been a long day and it was getting late. Amy mumbled something unintelligible, and Sheldon had already begun making tiny sniffing noises, his head lolling to the side as he gave in to exhaustion.

Worn out from this emotional roller-coaster ride they fell asleep, too tired to notice the TV was still on and that Sheldon's cell phone had slid out of his pocket, vibrating as it received message after message.

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 **A/N2** : **Ducklings, do you like this story or is it just 'meh'? I rarely fish for reviews, y'all know that, but I need encouragement now, come on! Should I post chapter 4? Do you like this? What do you think of it? Come on, let mother Goose know!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now, the 4th and last installment! I post this early because of the holidays, I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!**

 **\- YlvaB**

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There are many different ways one can end up in a bed that is not one's own, and many different reasons why one would do so while still wearing one's shoes. Most of them have to do with drinking or sex, or both, or in some extreme cases: being caught by one's significant other engaging in one or both of those things in his or hers absence. In Sheldon Cooper's case it was simply the result of a good old fashioned fight that had rendered both him and his bedmate Amy Farrah Fowler so tired that they had fallen asleep while still (well, sort of) arguing.

"Amy" Sheldon mumbled groggily into the pillow, "Why is your bed vibrating?"

"I think it's your phone" Amy yawned, not bothering to open her eyes as she turned over and dozed back off. Sheldon slowly opened his eyes and began patting the mattress in search of the offending object, wrapping his hand around the item as he found it. "Mpphh" he groaned as he saw the caller ID, sliding his thumb across the screen to pick it up.

"Hello?" he said, rubbing his eyes as he slowly came to life.

"Sheldon, do you have any idea what time it is?" his roommate's voice growled at the other end of the line. Sheldon threw a glance at his wristwatch, his stomach dropping as he realized it was almost 8 a.m.

"Oh Dear" he mumbled, remembering he hadn't texted Leonard to tell him he was at Amy's. He had probably been worried sick all night.

"You could say that" Leonard shot back sarcastically, "You disappear in the middle of the night without telling me and you don't answer your phone, and now it's time to go to work and no Sheldon!"

Sheldon rolled his eyes at his overly dramatic roommate.

"Don't be silly Leonard, I know that you're tracking my phone" he sighed, trying to decide whether he should have Amy take him to work or just call in sick and go home and watch Star Trek.

"Well…well, I can still worry about you!" Leonard countered, muttering something under his breath that Sheldon didn't catch.

"I know… I'm sorry" Sheldon apologized, not wishing to argue with both Amy and his roommate. Last night had almost sent him over the edge and as persnickety as he was, he knew that he would have been sick with anxiety should Leonard have been the one missing.

He could hear the other man fumbling with what had to be his car-keys, and he cringed as the sound of a door slamming hit his ear drum through the speakers.

"It's okay" Leonard finally said, he too eager to settle this quarrel between them. "Will I see you at work?"

For a second Sheldon was tempted to say 'yes'. But as he looked over his shoulder and saw Amy sleeping soundly next to him, he decided against it.

"No" he exhaled, not sure if he would regret his decision. "I will call you when I'm on my way back home."

"Alright. I'll see you later."

"Yes. Goodbye Leonard."

"Bye Sheldon."

The lanky physicist hung up the phone and flopped his head back against the pillow, sighing out loud as he tried to come up with some sort of plan as how to proceed from here on. Amy was still sleeping, apparently having forgotten to set an alarm, and he knew that he would have to wake her up sooner or later. Hopefully she wouldn't mention his outburst or their failed attempt at coitus or any of the things he so desperately wished he wouldn't have to face once she woke up. But the thought of her not saying anything at all was positively horrifying, and for a second he thought he was going to be sick. He took two deep breaths, his stomach settling again, and turned over to lightly pat Amy's shoulder.

"Amy?" he whispered, not entirely sure what the protocol was for these situations. He had never shared a bed with anyone before. "Amy, I think you're late for work."

"Mmhhpph-what?" Amy mumbled, yawning as she turned over on her back to stretch.

"It's past 8 already" Sheldon tried again, scooting closer to the edge of the bed to avoid touching her.

"Aw crap" Amy cursed, earning her a disapproving stare from Sheldon, "I must have fallen asleep without setting the alarm. I have to call my project manager."

Sheldon watched her as she fumbled for her glasses, and cringed as she once again cursed when she remembered she had left them on the coffee table. He was tempted to lecture her after she had finished explaining herself to her manager, not sure that he approved of her lying about having overslept because she 'still hadn't recovered from that stomach flu', but he wisely kept his mouth shut. Partly because he didn't wish to tempt fate, and partly because he himself had sent a text to let _his_ manager know he was "ill". Sheldon Cooper was a lot of things, but a hypocrite wasn't one of them, at least not to his knowledge.

As it was, they both found themselves staring up at the ceiling, contemplating what to say or do next.

"So are we just gonna lie here all day pretending yesterday didn't happen?" Amy sighed at last, once it became clear to her that Sheldon was not going to be the one to break the silence.

"If it's not too much to ask" Sheldon muttered, trying his best to ignore his growling stomach. It had been surprisingly easy to get through the weekend without a proper meal but as it was now he was famished. It was only to polite to offer one's guest breakfast before one sent them off to their pain and misery, that much he knew about morning after protocol, but to be honest he wasn't exactly sure his impromptu visit the other night fell into that cathegory. Truth was he had shown up uninvited, which would make him an unwelcomed guest rather than just a guest. So right now he was unsure where they were standing on this breakfast matter.

"You do what you want Sheldon" Amy said, rolling her eyes at him as she rose from the bed to search her wardrobe for clothes, "but I'm gonna go make coffee and toast. You're welcome to join me or show yourself out."

Well that did answer the question, didn't it? Now he just had to figure out whether to leave or join her for what was sure to be one awkward morning meal. His stomach growled once more, informing him that he better make up his mind now or things would get ugly. He sighed internally, getting up from the bed, massaging the small of his back as he made his way out of the bedroom.

"I need to void my bladder" Sheldon informed the petite neurobiologist, who had just finished picking out an outfit for the day.

"Is that a 'yes' or 'no' to breakfast?" Amy inquired, neatly draping her skirt and blouse over the chair next to her wardrobe.

"Yes!" Sheldon called back, slamming the door to the bathroom behind him.

Amy shut her eyes for a few seconds, trying to steady her trembling hands as she proceeded with getting dressed. She had hoped that yesterday's fight would have somehow cleared the air, that their physical clash would have emptied them of resentment, but instead it seemed as if things had only gotten worse. Sheldon was irritated and embarrassed, and she was sad and irresolute. That thing she had told herself about them being rational adults who would surely work this out for the better seemed like nothing but wishful thinking and naïvity.

She had just finished making breakfast when Sheldon entered the kitchen, his wet hair and peachy scent telling her that he must have borrowed her shower. She nodded in greeting and he nodded back, slowly taking his seat as she put a cup of freshly brewed tea in front of him.

"Would you like syrup on your toast?" Amy asked casually, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Yes please" Sheldon answered politely, as if they hadn't known each other for five years and had just terminated their romantic relationship. He eagerly accepted the plate as she handed it over to him, his enthusiastic chewing revealing that he must have been starving. Amy caught herself thinking that he must have had as much trouble eating as she had these past few days. Feeling herself warming up somewhat she took a seat oppose him, buttering her toast and taking eager bites in between sips of coffee.

Yet again the clock on the wall was ticking. Yet again the infant down the hall was screaming, possibly because someone was trying to force feed it, possibly because that's what babies do. The syrup was sweet, the coffee was bitter. It was ironic how domestic this scene was.

"I forgot to tell you yesterday…" Amy said as she finished her toast, moving on to slowly drink her coffee, "…that I love you too."

Sheldon looked up from his chamomile tea, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"And yet you wish to end our romantic liason?" he replied slowly, as if he couldn't quite understand why she would say such a thing. What difference did it make now?

Amy groaned, rubbing her temples as she rested her elbows on the table.

"It's… It's not that simple Sheldon" she replied, wishing she didn't have to explain this again. "I never said I _wanted_ for us to break up, I said I thought it was the best thing to do. For both of us."

"What evidence do you have to support that theory? Have I said or done anything that would suggest to you that I do not wish to, colloquially speaking, take this relationship to the next level?"

"I think running away for 45 days after I suggested the possibility of us living together was a pretty good indicator that you don't."

"I didn't run away because of that."

"You ran away because things changed and you couldn't handle it. Taking our relationship to the next level counts as 'change', Sheldon" Amy sighed, her forest green eyes firmly locked on his baby blues. Sheldon swallowed, fiddling with his hands as she kept staring at him, stripping him and his fears bare. He found himself wishing that she weren't his intellectual equal, that she couldn't penetrate his defenses so easily.

"So, hypothetically… If I do go home and draw up the necessary paper work, and you come over and sign, and we go our separate ways… what do you plan on doing next? What is it that you hope to accomplish by doing this?" the tall phycisist asked, barely able to hide the fact that his entire body was trembling.

"I don't know!" Amy exclaimed, gesturing with her arms in defeat. "I'm not… I'm not saying I want to find a new partner and build a home with them or whatever, I'm not saying that. I want this with _you._ I'm just not sure you want this with _me._ "

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to look at the man across the table. If she looked she'd start bawling again and frankly she was getting tired of it. Something had to give.

"I'm not twenty anymore Sheldon" she mumbled, feeling the weight of all this summer's anxiety on her shoulders. "I want to be patient and wait for you, I do. But I don't have ten years. I don't. I don't even have the _promise_ of ten years. And I think if I were to pressure you into giving in to my wishes just to make me happy… I'd be the worst person on the planet" she concluded sincerely, finally turning up to look at her companion, who had been sitting silent all while she spoke.

"You could never be the worst person on the planet" Sheldon whispered, his big blue eyes shiny.

"I would be if I did that to you."

"But all the research I've done suggests the complete opposite. You're the best person I know" Sheldon said, his voice as soft and low as an intake of breath.

"Sheldon, this isn't about charts or research, this is-"

"Amy, would you please stop explaining to me what I do or do not feel? I can speak for myself you know. I'm not twenty either" Sheldon bit back, suddenly annoyed with the dark-haired woman who wouldn't see what was right in front of her. "You _are_ the best person I know. You don't think I let just anyone prepare my meals and squeeze their germy hands into mine, do you?"

"I…"

"I know we don't engage in coitus, I know. And if last night is any indicator of what that would be like I have to say that I'm terrified of what will happen should we ever attempt it again. And I am perfectly aware of how you feel about our living arrangements. And as for pro-creating… I have never, _ever_ expressed anything but enthusiasm over the thought of gifting humanity with our superior progeny. I haven't."

Sheldon sat up straight, clasping his hands in front of him on the table. Amy's mouth hung upen, as if she hadn't expected him to meet her arguments with simple logic. Really though, she'd known him for so long she should know by now that Sheldon Cooper did not just _take_ it.

"So… Does that mean that you want for us to have a baby?" Amy asked at last, still in shock over his sudden proclamation. "I mean… We don't…I'm…"

"It means I'm willing to discuss the idea of us pro-creating, yes" Sheldon replied, leaning back into to chair. "I can't promise that it will happen right in this instant, but I'm willing to consider the possibility."

"What… what about… so these 72 hours…?"

"I'm willing to sign the contract and terminate our relationship should you wish for us to go separate ways but should you not… we could go on as if nothing happened. No paper has been signed. Nothing has been decided."

Amy's jaw was still at her feet. This man. How was it that he always won in the end? And how was it that she _wanted_ him to? But he was her soul mate, that she'd always known. He was the one.

"And humm… what about coitus?" she asked carefully, trying not to show just how baffled she was.

"Amy, I'd rather not speak of yesterday's incident ever again."

"But if we're having a baby we might need to… practice."

"….What are you suggesting?"

"I'm just… suggesting that we could… give it a second try. Have a re-match. You know, try to come up with the best technique to produce the best possible…. Benign overlords that ever saw the sun rise. You know?"

Sheldon thought this over, smirking as he caught Amy's hopeful gaze.

"I suppose all experiments need to be repeated to garner… validity" he answered, thinking he would have to add a few paragraphs to the Relationship Agreement.

Amy bit her lip, smiling uncontrollably.

"And Amy?"

"Yes?" Amy said, unable to contain her happiness.

"Happy Birthday."

THE END

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 **A/N2:** **As always I am deeply touched by the kindness you guys have shown me and the lovely response I've gotten. I've read all the reviews, both good and bad, and I'm so happy you guys took the time to tell me what you thought when I asked for it. This story was an experiment of mine, one that I've had a lot of fun with, and I hope you all liked it! If not, I still thank you for reading and I hope that you are all excited for my upcoming stories!**


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